Refrigerator



Nov. 5, 1929. CORNEH- 1,734,366

REFRIGERATOR Filed Aug. 9. 1926 damn,

Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FREDERICK J. CORNEIL, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO COPELAND PRODUCTS, INC., OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN REFRIGERATOR Application filed August 9, 1926. Serial No. 128,278.

It has become well known in the course of development of mechanically operated refrigerators, that vegetables and certain fruits which contain a large amount of water wilt rapidly when placed in a mechanically operated refrigerator, While they do not wilt rapidly when placed in a refrigerator cooled by ice. This rapid wilting is caused in a mechanical refrigerator by the freezing out of the moisture in the atmosphere within the refrigerator by the heat absorbing qualities of the refrigerant used, which causes the moisture in the atmosphere within the refrigerator to accumulate as frost on the coolin" unit.

The object of my invention is to provide in a mechanically operated refrigerator which affects vegetables and fruitas above described, means to prevent the rapid wilting and deterioration of the vegetables and fruit placed within the refrigerator.

lVith these and other objects in view my invention consists in the arrangement, combination and construction of the various parts of my improved device as described in the specification, claimed in my claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a typical refrigerator adapted for operation by mechanical means. with parts broken away to show the embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional view on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet with parts broken away showing a modification of my invention embodied therein.

Fig. 4 is another partial perspective view of a refrigerator cabinet with parts broken away showing another modification of my invention embodied therein.

I have shown a refrigerator cabinet 1 having a door 2 and a storage compartment 3. The cooling unit of a mechanical refrigerating apparatus. which may be a coil such as 14, is positioned in the upper portion of the cabinet 1 and within the storage compartment 3. A shelf 4 is positioned within the storage compartment 3 with its rear and side edges forming close joints with the walls of and positioned to receive in a close fit the protruding edge of the shelf 4 when the door 2 is closed, thus forming a secondary storage compartment 6. The secondary storage compartment 6 is effectually sealed and separated from the storage compartment 3 in the upper part of which the cooling unit is positioned, when the door 2 is closed and the atmosphere contained therein is not in direct contact with the cooling unit of the machine, and will retain its molsture and so prevent the wilting and deterioration of vegetables or fruit which may be stored therein.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a modification of my invention in which shelf 4 is positioned within the storage compartment 3, with its side and rear edges forming close joints with the side and rear walls of storage compartment 3 and with its front edge not quite reaching the outer edges of the side walls of storage compartment 3. A closure 7 is pivotally secured to the bottom of the secondary compartment 6 as at 9, and is positioned so that its top edge 8 will engage the front edge 10 of the shelf 4 and thus effectually close the secondary compartment 6. I

The closure 7 is adapted to swing outwardly and down and is positioned so that when its upper edge 8 is engaged with the front edge 10 of the shelf 4, it will not interfere with the complete closing of the door 2.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a modification of my invention in which the shelf 4 is positioned as in Fig. 3 with its front edge 10 not quite reaching the outer edges of the side Walls of the storage compartment 3. A closure 11 is pivotally secured to the side walls of the secondary storage compartment 6 as at 12, and is constructed with flanged edges 13 to engage the edge of shelf 4 and the edge of the side wall and bottom of the secondary storage compartment 6. The position of the shelf 4 with its front edge 10 receding from the front edge of the side walls of the storage compartments 3 and 6 permits the closure 11 to be secured to the side walls of compartment 6 in a position which will not interfere with the closing of the door 2.

It is thus apparent that I have provided a storage space suitable for the storage of vegetables and fruits, which may be cheaply and easily constructed in a refrigerator cabinet, and which is isolated from the moisture absorbing action of the cooling unit of a mechanical refrigerating machine. Experiment has demonstrated that vegetables or fruits stored in an isolated compartment such as the secondary compartment 6 will remain fresh, while vegetables stored in the compartment 3 will rapidly deteriorate and become unfit for use.

It will be obvious that various changes may be made in the arrangement, combination and construction of the various parts of my improved device without departing from the spirit of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims such changes as may be reasonably included within the scope thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a mechanically operated refrigerator having a food storage compartment therein and a closure therefor, a shelf positioned Within said compartment with some of its edges forming close joints with the walls of said compartment, a secondary closure adapted to cover the opening beneath said shelf.

2. In a mechanically operated refrigerator having a food storage compartment therein, a shelf positioned within said compartment with some of its edges forming close joints with the walls of said compartment and having its front edge extended forwardly beyond the side walls of said compartment, a closure for said storage compartment having a groove therein adapted to receive the front edge of said transverse shelf.

3. A refrigerator cabinet having a main food storage chamber, an auxiliary food storage chamber in thermal contact with the main chamber and formed partially from the walls of the cabinet and partially from non-insulated walls built in the cabinet, and means for substantially sealing the auxiliary chamber against transfer of atmosphere to the main chamber.

FREDERICK" J. CORNER menace 

